Match Report : 10/09/2016

10 September 2016

Report | Millwall 1-1 Coventry City

A sublime 71st-minute finish from Aiden O'Brien cancelled out Marvin Sordell's first-half opener to keep Millwall in the Play-Off places and deny Coventry City their first League win of the season at The Den.

O'Brien was on hand to produce a superb clipped finish from Steve Morison's cross after Sordell had given the visitors a 23rd-minute lead with a thumping shot beyond the reach of keeper Jordan Archer.

Lions boss Neil Harris made one change to his starting XI from last time out, with Fred Onyedinma handed a place in the first team in place of Gregg Wylde, who dropped to the bench.

Millwall's opening minutes were promising, with the movement and passing on a greasy pitch leaving the Sky Blues' defenders chasing shadows.

Onyedinma was the first to go close when he nodded the ball just wide of the mark from a beautifully-timed O'Brien chip on five minutes.

Barely 60 seconds later it was David Worrall threatening the Coventry goal with a glancing header that skimmed past the right post.

The Sky Blues spent much of the opening period in their own half and only found some respite when Jamie Sterry broke down the right-flank in the 16th minute before being closed down by O'Brien at the edge of the area. It was an ominous sign.

In the next Coventry attack, Sordell collected the ball 20 yards out with his back to goal before twisting and firing a cracking shot beyond Archer's reach.

The hosts had two appeals for penalties waved away in the shadows of half-time, the first when Morison felt he had been pulled down in the area after a driving run that left three defenders in his wake. Shouts for hand-ball were then ignored as a Coventry City defender scrabbled on his hands and knees to clear the ball from the goal-mouth.

After the break Millwall had the majority of possession, but clear-cut chances were rare.

Morison fired two speculative long-range shots in as many minutes but neither tested Reice Charles-Cook in the visiting goal.

At the other end, Sordell almost doubled his money in the 62nd-minute after getting on the end of a pin-point cross four yards from goal, the resulting shot was partially blocked by Archer and the ball narrowly spun past the right post.

It was a chance to bury the match Coventry would come to rue. With 19 minutes remaining Morison broke down the right-flank and launched a well-weighted cross to O'Brien, who flicked the ball passed the bewildered Coventry stopper for his third goal of the season.

The Sky Blues' best chance of the second half came when sub Jodi Jones hit a rasping free-kick that was athletically turned over the cross-bar by a flying Archer.

The final 10 minutes saw both teams pressing for the all-important winning goal but despite the determined efforts of both The Lions and Sky Blues, neither side could find a way through for a second, match-winning, goal.